Episode 60 of The Mental Game features Brent Sass, one of the greatest dog mushers in the world.

A titan of the industry, Sass has etched his name as one of just six to win the two biggest sled dog races: the Iditarod (2022) and the Yukon Quest (2015, 2022).

Born in Minnesota, Sass has desperately wanted to live in Alaska and pursue dog mushing since he was a little kid. Now, he lives a life completely removed from the outside word, dedicating 100% of his energies to his craft: training and bonding with his dogs.

Sass is a firm believer in the crucial importance of the mental game, both for himself on the sled and for his dogs. His insights into how his mental game affects that of his dogs is fascinating, as is his complete devotion to the dog sledding life.

On The Mental Game, Sass takes us through:

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself.

NOTE: I'm thrilled to be running in the Chicago Half-Marathon this September to support Laaser's Ladybug Society. We're close to our goal of $2K to support mental health initiatives in schools — ⁠CLICK HERE TO DONATE⁠.

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Episode 59 of The Mental Game features Reed Myers, a recently graduated men’s basketball student-athlete out of Rice University.

In April, Myers penned a cogent essay in The Rice Thresher titled “I hope to be an example for future Asian-American hoopers.”

Myers attended Rice for four years after earning All-State honors at Arizona’s Scottsdale Christian Academy. In high school, he earned a state championship and was even named the Arizona Republic’s Small Schools Player of the Year as just a freshman.

But Division I men’s basketball coaches virtually ignored Myers and his growing talent — something he attributes to his Asian-American identity.

Then, he spent four seasons as a self-labeled “outlier” in NCAA basketball.

On The Mental Game, Myers takes us through:

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself.

NOTE: I'm thrilled to be running in the Chicago Half-Marathon this September to support Laaser's Ladybug Society. We're close to our goal of $2K to support mental health initiatives in schools — ⁠CLICK HERE TO DONATE⁠.

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Episode 57 of The Mental Game features Freddie Stevenson, a former NFL and Florida State fullback, author and, now, filmmaker. His film, “Trials to Triumph” was recently released and is available on Prime Video, Apple TV and more.

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Episode 55 of The Mental Game features Dr. Harold Shinitzky, a world-renowned sports psychologist, author and motivational speaker.

Shinitzky makes his third appearance on The Mental Game after appearing in November 2020 and July 2021.

Shinitzky works with Olympic and professional athletes from every major association (PGA, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL). He also serves as president of the Florida Psychological Association and is the author of A Champion's Mindset: 15 Mental Conditioning Steps to Becoming a Champion Athlete.

In his return, Shinitzky delves into:

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself.

NOTE: I'm thrilled to be running in the Chicago Bank of America Half-Marathon this June to support Laaser's Ladybug Society. We're close to our goal of $2K to support mental health initiatives in schools — ⁠CLICK HERE TO DONATE⁠.

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Episode 54 of The Mental Game features Sha Carter, a basketball standout who just finished her fifth-year senior season at Florida Gulf Coast.

In this year’s NCAA Tournament, Carter’s Eagles pulled off a 12-over-5 upset of Washington State in the first round before falling to No. 4 Villanova in the Round of 32. Carter dives into the mental game of a March Madness upset in this episode.

Prior to joining FGCU, Carter was a four-year standout at Division II Walsh University in North Canton Ohio, where she became the first player in program history to score 2,000 points. She also earned three All-America nods and led Walsh to three berths in the NCAA Tournament.

Carter has declared for the WNBA Draft and will pursue her Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice as she embarks on her professional career. She plans to work a detective following her basketball career.

In her Mental Game debut, Carter takes us through:

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself.

NOTE: I'm thrilled to be running in the Chicago Bank of America Half-Marathon this June to support Laaser's Ladybug Society. We're close to our goal of $2K to support mental health initiatives in schools — ⁠CLICK HERE TO DONATE⁠.

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

After four months Down Under broadcasting in Australia, The Mental Game is back!

A Note From Sam: Thank you for bearing with me during this hiatus. I had a life-changing time in Australia (working in the Australian Baseball League), and I missed producing The Mental Game immensely. I'm thrilled to be back and am thrilled to be making several significant upgrades to the show, including a video simulcast. Thank you, as always, for your support of The Mental Game. Now, onto this week's show...

Episode 53 of The Mental Game features Donald Lutz, a former first baseman in MLB for the Cincinnati Reds.

Born in New York but raised in Germany, Lutz didn't start playing baseball until he was 14. By the time he turned 18, he'd inked a contract with the Reds and rocketed up their farm system. In 2013, Lutz debuted in the big leagues and became the first German-developed player to make it to MLB.

Since breaking through into The Show, Lutz has starred in the Australian Baseball League with the Brisbane Bandits, winning four championships and a Championship Series MVP award in 2016. Lutz is considered among the best players in modern ABL history and has fallen in love with Australia. Now a permanent resident, Lutz resides full-time in Brisbane.

He has begun to dip his toes into scouting, with the Reds, and podcasting. Lutz produces and hosts the Moving Through Life podcast, which you can subscribe to here. You can also follow Lutz's journey through life on his YouTube Channel and Instagram page.

On The Mental Game, Lutz dives into:

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself.

NOTE: I'm thrilled to be running in the Chicago Bank of America Half-Marathon this June to support Laaser's Ladybug Society. We're close to our goal of $2K to support mental health initiatives in schools — CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

Episode 50 of The Mental Game features Reggie Hearn, a nine-year professional basketball guard who played for the Detroit Pistons in 2018 and spent the majority of his career in the NBA G League. 

Hearn played his college basketball at Northwestern University, where he grew from a walk-on to the team’s leading scorer and an all-Big Ten honoree as a senior. In 2020, Hearn joined for the second-ever episode of The Mental Game and detailed his harrowing journey through anxiety amidst the peak of his basketball career: an NBA call-up.  

(If you missed Part I with Reggie, click here) 

Now, as a 31-year-old, Hearn and his wife, Gianna, are about to welcome a baby girl. Hearn is considering retirement and looking to the next chapter of his career, geared around coaching, faith and family. 

In his second appearance, Hearn dives into: 

Enjoy and remember to be kind to yourself. 

The Mental Game is also a proud partner of Laaser's Ladybug Society, which is a designated 501c3 organization combatting the stigmas that surround mental health by actively fundraising to support mental health initiatives and innovations in our school system. The mental health challenges faced by our youth are unprecedented and it is time to get off the bench and get in the game as we fight for the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Learn more and join the fight at LaasersLadybugs.org!

The Mental Game podcast is produced by Sam Brief and music is courtesy of David Brief and Channel J. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and Stitcher.

The Mental Game podcast is a proud partner of the Never Alone Network.